| [ Summary ] |
Dialysis patients need to abide by the prescribed restrictions on intake of foods containing salt, water, potassium, and phosphate. However, excessive dietary restrictions and inappropriate dietary behavior may result in reduced food intake, leading to malnutrition linked protein-energy wasting (PEW). Dementia is another cause of reduced food intake and subsequent malnutrition in elderly patients. Therefore, early nutritional intervention based on comprehensive dietary assessment is essential in preventing malnutrition in elderly dialysis patients suffering from dementia. In addition, transdisciplinary team care provided by nurses and other medical professionals is important to investigate the causative factors of insufficient food intake and improve patient nutritional status. |